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Hospitality Executive Search: Tips for Finding Your Next Leader

Hospitality Executive Search - Tips for Finding Your Next Leader

Good leaders are hard to find. The higher up the ladder you go, the harder it gets. A hospitality executive search effort requires sincere commitment and great tools. Fortunately, there are resources available for companies during their hospitality executive search.

Use these great tips to aid in your hospitality executive search:

Use LinkedIn During Your Hospitality Executive Search 

The preeminent professional social network may not be a secret these days, but it’s still underutilized by many. LinkedIn is especially helpful in recruiting executives since interactions can be discreet. Long direct messages are limited to “connections.” However, users can typically send a “connection request” with a brief introduction to most members.

One non-imposing technique is to send a “connection request” to the prospect with an introduction that simply states, “I’m a hospitality professional and work with many industry executives. I’d love to connect!” There’s a good chance that the response will be positive. Once connected, the recruiter can send a longer job pitch.

Tradeshows

Tradeshows are often viewed as opportunities to stay current on industry trends and tools, but they’re also great for networking. Top-level hospitality executives attend any number of tradeshows throughout the U.S. Recruiters usually find people very approachable in these casual environments.

Once a prospect is engaged, it’s very easy to direct the conversation toward the available opportunity. Even if the executive isn’t interested, they will likely respond well and won’t be offended. Better yet, they may even have a referral!

Peer Referrals

Word-of-mouth referrals are as old as mankind, but that doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant in today’s digital age. Some of the best hires come from peer-referred candidates. The technique is particularly successful in a hospitality executive search.

The reason referrals work so well in filling top-level positions is simply a matter of mathematics. There are fewer candidates qualified to serve in executive positions, which require vast experience and unique skill sets. Industry peers work closely with these C-suite individuals and can easily share job opportunities.

Job Boards

Some industry leaders won’t have standing employee profiles on major online job boards. These websites can still be a resource in aiding your hospitality executive search, however. Online job sites allow candidates to discretely indicate their availability in a way that’s only visible to outside recruiters and employers.

Some executives will respond to opportunity proposals if they’re confident their discretion is being honored. In addition, online job boards can also be a resource for finding the contact information of inactive users. An employer can use the website to identify the names and resumes of potential executives, and then contact them via LinkedIn.

Conclusion

Conducting a hospitality executive search is no easy task. Between the limited availability of C-suite leaders and concerns about discretion, companies can quickly hit formidable roadblocks. However, there are tools and creative techniques that can make the seemingly impossible possible.

If you’re a company engaged in a hospitality executive search, you should also leverage the services of an industry-leading recruiting agency today!

The Top Industry Professionals are Just a Click Away!

If you are looking to hire and need help sourcing great candidates quickly, connect with Goodwin Recruiting.